Missing
by Magical-Wildgirl
Summary: Bakura goes missing. Will Ryou go find him? And if he does, can he find Bakura in time? Tendershipping. The entire thing has been revamped, please come check it out!
1. Chapter 1

**Missing**

Summary: Bakura is kidnapped. Ryou decides to look for him; will he find Bakura in time?

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Warnings: shounen-ai and a few changes (Bakura has his own body, and he's nicer, for a couple of things). There is mild CRUDE LANGUAGE. MAJOR OOCness. I focus more on PLOT than on SETTINGS…so if you came here to find a nice descriptive fiction, I'd advise turning back right around now. This is entirely about Ryou and Bakura. (Wow, that certainly explains the pairing, doesn't it now…)No one else even shows up…except someone around the fourth chapter, and I can't tell you who because that would ruin the story.

AN: Yeah, for once it's Ryou that gets to rescue Bakura…mmhmm…I haven't seen any others like that…of course I haven't read them ALL, but… anyway, I'm in a bad mood so I don't know if I'll let Ryou find Bakura in time…

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Ryou-Bakura

Bakura-Ryou

/Dream sequence/

**Missing**

**Chapter 1: The Letter**

Ryou walked home as slowly as he possibly could. He was already late, so what did it matter?

He returned to thinking about Bakura. Sometimes Ryou wished Bakura would see him as more than a friend…

'No, bad Ryou! You know he'll never think of you like that!'

All too soon, the door was in front of him and he opened it, waiting to hear Bakura yell "Where've you been?"

It didn't come.

Bakura must have heard him…so where was he?

"Bakura?"

Still nothing.

"Weird…"

He found the mail in the old letterbox. There wasn't much, just one note. He opened it, curious. It didn't look like it had been mailed. For a good reason, as he soon found out.

**Ryou**

**I have someone here for you.**

**If you think it's worth it, come find him.**

**Are you willing to play?**

Ryou blinked. "I don't…get it…"

**I'll put it in simpler terms, as I know you won't get it.**

"Stupid freaking mind reader…"

**I'm inviting you to play a game. A treasure hunt, per se. You have two weeks. If you don't find him by then, you'll never see him again.**

**If you won't play, he dies. And no one can help you. This is between you and me, Ryou. Come find him.**

Ryou frowned. Who was 'him'? Then he figured it out…very quickly. The note wasn't finished.

**Yes, I mean your darker half, Bakura. Your mind link won't work, so don't bother.**

**Your first clue will come tomorrow. We won't count today as one of your fourteen.**

**Happy hunting.**

He couldn't believe it. This was some kind of sick, stupid joke for sure. How could they have caught Bakura in the first place? No, Bakura was fine…and he'd be back soon…

Bakura wasn't back by the next morning.

--------------------------------------------------

Ryou checked the mailbox…and sure enough, there was his first 'clue'.

**The clock has been started…**

**Follow this once you've figured it out, and your next clue will be there. **

**There are only three. Your fourth clue will lead you to him.**

**"Where meet fire, earth, air and water**

**Is where the light will find the other"**

**You don't have too long.**

**He's waiting.**

AN: Good? Bad? Too horrible to continue?

I made up the little quote…I hate writing poetry…

This is weird, I know, but…Meh.

Review if you feel like it. Concrit accepted with worship.


	2. 2

Disclaimer: Nothing you see here is mine.

OK, on a reviewer's advice, I gave up the play titles. Hope this is better…this one's for you, Splintered Star! Also, thanks to everyone who told me that fire, earth, air and water are NOT actual elements. I can't believe the response on this fic. Thank you all so much!

**Chapter Two: Elements**

"What kind of an idiot clue is this? This tells me nothing!" Then he looked at it again. This was clearly all he was going to get, so he'd better figure it out. He was still having some trouble accepting that Bakura was really missing.

_Why does it have to be me? I can't solve anything, not even jigsaw puzzles; I'm no detective or whatever! _

He was holding the paper so tightly he nearly tore it. He read it through three times.

_The second part is obviously about me and Bakura…_

_What's with the first part?_

'_Fire, earth, air and water…what about them?'_

He couldn't really concentrate on the clue because his mind kept wandering back to what was going on. Why would anyone kidnap Bakura, and then tease Ryou like this? It didn't make sense.

Ryou had no idea why anyone would do that, but he did know one thing for sure.

They were threatening to kill Bakura, and he was almost certain they were serious. He had to figure it out.

_Fire, earth, air and water…_

He suddenly remembered science class.

_Sensei had been droning on and on and ON about the periodic table of elements._

_Ryou had nearly been asleep, and only one sentence was remembered from that entire class._

"_Fire, earth, air and water were once believed to be the four main elements. Now, however, we know that…"_

_Elements…_

'_Where meet fire, earth, air and water…'_

Where could all four 'elements' meet? The beach was where water, earth and air were, but still…he needed fire.

All four couldn't meet. It was impossible! Water extinguished fire, fire burned earth…They couldn't all go together, damn it!

This was no clue. This was stupid!

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How had a week gone by so fast?

Ryou still had no idea where to look.

_Fire, earth, air and water…_

He had to figure it out. Now, if not sooner.

That didn't change anything. He was still stuck.

Finally, he went and stared out the window.

The sun was setting.

_It's beautiful…like fire…_

_Fire._

He knew. Just like that. There was a bonfire at the beach last month, and the old shack nearby had caught fire.

He ran the whole way there.

_Gods, I hope I'm right…_

He stopped at the ash-filled, blackened ruins of the old place. A little piece of paper was waiting for him there.

**About time. If you keep going this slowly, he's doomed. Hurry up. **

**Find the End of the Rainbow.**

**You don't have much longer.**

_WHAT THE HELL!_

_The end of the rainbow? There isn't any such thing!_

_Wait…why is it in capitals?_

The next morning, it was suddenly so clear he wondered how he could have missed it the first day.

_It's the name of a place._

It had to be.

He even knew where to go.

It used to be a club, but it had been closed down years ago. The Rainbow's End.

That was his next stop. He worked carefully around all the rubbish, and found the paper sitting on the cracked counter.

**Wow. Much better this time. Okay, so here's your last clue.**

**Find the tree that marks the K**

**Midnight moon will show the way**

Ryou shook his head. This was truly stupid. If he'd been doing this for _anyone_ but Bakura, he would have stopped right here.

AN: Ugh, again with the terrible attempts at poetry…I will never be a poet, that's for sure…So, this is my second chapter. (Sarcastic) Wow, I'm good. There will probably be only five to seven, tops, as I have an extremely short attention span…

Review if you feel like doing so. Concrit accepted with worship.


	3. 3

Disclaimer: Not mine…WHY MUST YOU KEEP MAKING ME SAY THIS?

Now that I'm back, here we go!

Ryou/Kriia/Krisha: Finally!

Wildgirl: Or, maybe not…

Krisha: (unsheathes dagger)

Kriia: (death glare)

Wildgirl: OK, OK! Here it is! (mutters under breath about evil impatient muses)

**Chapter Three: Demon Fire**

Three days later, Ryou was figuring out the last clue.

_Find the tree that marks the K_

_Midnight moon will show the way…_

_Midnight moon._

He'd have to wait 'til midnight then. It was a full moon, which had to be what it meant…Find the tree that marks the K? That was new. Normally it was an X or something…

That _marks_ the K? How could a tree mark anything? If it said 'has the K's shadow' he would get it, but mark?

Never mind. It was 11:30. Close enough.

He walked down the path, following a random trail that took him northwest.

_That marks the K…_

His mind was still wandering, thinking of Bakura.

_Is he all right? If they hurt him…_

No. Don't think about that. Don't. Think. About. That!

He kept thinking, kept picturing what could have happened to him. What could have stopped Bakura from freeing himself? Not a lock, that was for sure and certain.

_No. Think about the clue. It doesn't matter why Bakura can't free himself. It only matters that you find him before…_

Engaged in this inner battle, he completely missed the tree until he walked into it.

BANG.

"Ow…"

Something landed in front of him. It was a bit of…paper?

He checked his watch. 12:00

He looked at the tree. In the shadows behind it, scratches in the earth were connected by shadows into a scrawled K.

He unfolded the paper.

**Try the top floor of Demon Fire. You probably won't get this in time, anyway. I'm sure you understand why.**

An old, slightly rusted key was taped to the note.

He knew Demon Fire too, he'd read about it in the paper. He'd remembered it because it had been a rather odd name. Another abandoned place, only this time, it was an old apartment building that…

Was being knocked down in roughly three hours.

_Oh my God…Bakura!_

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Ryou hadn't even stopped to think about it. He'd gone straight up, never mind that it had taken him an hour and a half just to get there. He looked down the hall. There were seven rooms. It wouldn't take too long. He tried the first six. None opened. When he tried the seventh, it worked, but the door was half-closed still. He went in. "Bakura?"

_Y...yes? _

Bakura was lying on the floor, nearly hidden in the shadows the door cast.

BAKURA! 

_Ow…you don't need to shout… _

Sorry, sorry…why didn't you come home? 

_You think I didn't try? _

Only then did Ryou notice the awkward angle to Bakura's leg.

They hurt you! 

_There's only him, Ryou…I thought you weren't coming…I wouldn't have blamed you… _

Ryou blinked. Bakura had thought he wasn't coming?

He didn't have time to argue about that now. He had half an hour to get Bakura out.

Bakura couldn't make it on his own…

_Ryou… _

What? 

_You don't have time to get me out. Go. _

No! 

He knew he only had one choice, really.

Ryou picked up Bakura. It was almost frighteningly easy.

_I'll worry about that later…_

He walked quickly, trying not to hurt Bakura and knowing it wasn't working. Finally, he was standing at the top of the last flight of stairs.

_I've only got five minutes…_

The last flight of stairs was long. He went down almost, but not quite, at a run.

_CRASH._

The destruction had started.

He went across the room as fast as he possibly could, trying not to think about being crushed beneath falling ceiling. Finally getting to the door, he pushed it.

It wouldn't open. There was a letter pinned to it.

**This has been wonderfully interesting, hasn't it? Don't bother with looking for a way out…But if you simply _must_ look for one, have fun trying. **

**Mariku **

AN: I am a bad girl…(hangs head in shame)

Ryou: Yes…you _let_ him_ hurt _Bakura!

Wildgirl: (rolls eyes) Would you prefer I'd let him knock Bakura unconscious? At least every couple of hours? That was my only other choice.

Ryou: Do we get out?

Wildgirl: That depends on whether or not my reviewers want a happy ending…HINT HINT

Ryou: WHAT? Our LIVES depend on your REVIEWERS! What if no one reviews?

Wildgirl: I'll just make Bakura push you out and die in there alone…that's what happens if no one reviews at all…my revenge…bwahaha…

Ryou: There's something _wrong_ with you…

Wildgirl: It took you THAT LONG to figure it out? I mean, come on, it's ME!

Anyway, review if you so choose. Concrit accepted with worship.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. Too bad. Sigh.

AN: This looked a lot longer as a complete story…all these chapters are really short. Sorry. Just so you know…I am SO sorry for not updating! We were on vacation and I had no access to a computer. It's not my fault this time!

Ryou: Um…Wildgirl…

Wildgirl: Yeah?

Ryou: Duck.

Wildgirl: Why?

Ryou: Mariku's aiming something at your head through the window.

Wildgirl: (yells out window) You do it and all the fans of this story who aren't already out to kill you will be!

Mariku: Dammit…(leaves)

Wildgirl: Whew…Here's the long-overdue chapter!

**Chapter Four: Silent Communication**

Ryou looked down at Bakura.

"Bakura…it's locked."

"Ok." was the only reply.

"So what do we do?"

"The window is broken…"

"But you couldn't get out that way, you're hurt."

"So?"

Another piece of ceiling fell, dangerously close this time. Ryou backed into an area where there wasn't much falling.

"Bakura, I'm not leaving you in here."

There was no time to continue this illuminating conversation, as Ryou heard something cracking. He looked up, but the ceiling above them was still reasonably whole. It was the door. The door was broken.

Still carrying Bakura, he managed to get through the broken door.

Who kidnapped you, Bakura? 

_Can't you read? Mariku. Why? His twisted idea of fun. And…Ryou?_

Yeah? 

_Why did you come? You shouldn't have. Most **wouldn't **have. Why? _

"I had to."

_No one would have blamed you. Tell me you didn't do it because of some sense of **duty**. _

"I didn't, yami, and that's not true…I know someone who would never have forgiven me for leaving you here to die."

_And who's that?_

"Me. Come on, you need to get your leg checked. Have you always been so light?"

Ryou winced even as he said it. The change of topic was too sudden not to have alerted Bakura something important had been said, even though he was only semi-conscious.

_Why would you be upset? Maybe I'm just confused, but something about this is not adding up, Ryou._

Ryou winced again. He'd walked head-on into that one.

_This is a hard question…how does he ALWAYS know exactly what to ask? I can't tell him it's because I'm in **love **with him…_

Well, you're…you're my friend. 

Bakura stared.

_I'm your **what?** _

Friend. Even you must have heard of them… 

_I…have, it's just that… _

The awkward moment was interrupted by arrival at the hospital.

_WHAT THE…! I am NOT going in there… _

You don't have a choice, yami. 

_I WILL NOT go in there. _

You have to. I'm carrying you, remember?

  
Ryou grinned as Bakura closed his eyes and let himself relax, silently giving in.

AN: Wow, never thought I'd see the day…I FINISHED FOUR CHAPTERS!

Ryou: (backs away very slowly) Good for you…

Wildgirl: (claps) I KNOW! Ooh, fluffy bunnies… (runs around)

Anyway, thanks and please review.


	5. 5

Disclaimer: Not mine, and all that. If you want to sue anyway, please leave a message after the beep of my nonexistent answering machine. _I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily out of order. Please, check the number and try your call again. _(click) I don't own the phone message either.

**Chapter Five: Diagnosis**

"How is he?"

They'd taken Bakura in for examination over an hour ago.

The doctor smiled ruefully at Ryou. "We don't know yet. He only stops fighting us long enough to breathe every so often."

"Should I go in there?"

"If you think it will calm him down. We can't even administer a sedative because we can't get close enough."

Ryou shook his head as he followed the doctor down the hall. He should have known Bakura would not behave, never mind that he was _hurt_.

Yami, stop fighting. They're trying to help you. 

_They're trying to **poke** me with needles and other sharp objects, not help me! _

They wouldn't be trying to give you a sedative if you weren't fighting them. 

_A **WHAT**?_

Calm down, yami. 

_Oh, one of them is almost in range… _

BAKURA! Don't even think about it! 

_DAMNIT! _

What? 

_They poked me with that needle thing while you were DISTRACTING me is what! _

Ryou felt their mind link fade as he stepped into the room. A nurse was holding an empty hypodermic.

"We should be able to work now."

About twenty minutes later, the doctor could give Ryou a rough verbal sketch of what was happening.

"He's in quite bad shape, besides the broken leg, which I'm sure you noticed. He's in an advanced stage of dehydration and starvation, his heart rate is low, and he's just generally very ill."

Ryou nodded. "So, it's really serious then?"

"Yes, he'll need to stay in the hospital for at least three weeks, quite probably longer. Would you mind coming to stay with him? After the trouble we had just diagnosing him, I think you'll need to be there when he comes around."

"Ok. I can be here."

"You'll inform the family?"

"Sure."

_I don't need to worry about that, at least…_

"You can see him now."

Ryou sat down next to his yami's bed.

He decided it was best to say it now, when Bakura was asleep and wouldn't know.

"I love you, Bakura…"

Bakura moved a little as he slept, one hand sliding out from beneath the blanket.

Ryou had to smile.

_I wish I had a camera…he looks so cute like that…_

_Of course, he would probably destroy the picture as soon as he saw it._

He slipped his hand into Bakura's.

_I love you…_

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Bakura was home from the hospital, _finally_. After almost a month and a half of being away from home, there was a lot that he'd forgotten.

Like the fact Ryou woke up at six-thirty.

And that once Ryou was awake, Bakura had better be awake.

Ryou walked in. "Bakura, are you up?"

Bakura stirred and turned to glare at him. "I wasn't _planning_ to be."

"Oops, sorry. But since you're awake, you might as well get up, right?"

"Go away. I might still be able to get to sleep again."

Ryou sighed and pulled on Bakura's arm gently. "Come on!"

Bakura tried pulling loose, failed, and somehow managed to knock Ryou off balance so that Ryou fell on top of him.

Ryou stared down at his yami, starting to blush.

"Ryou, get off!"

Instant reality check.

"Sorry…"

Ryou nearly leaped away from him.

_Oh God, what did I do?_

He'd nearly kissed Bakura.

And he was fairly certain that would not turn out well. At all.

He would just have to learn to keep himself in check better, that was all.

_I hope._

AN: This one was weird, but I couldn't help it. I was up until 12:45 getting this done. So was it worth it? WAS IT?

Also, I need to ask if should I go on with this…no wait, ignore that, they haven't kissed yet! Don't kill me, the sweet stuff is coming!

REVIEW

I just thought I'd mention my pets to you. Meet my six attack bunnies, Amanda, Arnold, Annie, Alisha, Aron and Andrew. They feed on the flesh of non-intentional (i.e. non-parody) Mary Sues. Please help me keep their weight down.


	6. 6

Disclaimer: Not mine. Okay? Okay.

AN: Omigod, you guys. The response on this fic is actually making me cry. You are all the greatest. This last chapter is dedicated to everyone who's reviewed me the whole way through. You all know who you are.

/Dream Sequence/

_Thoughts_

"Speaking"

**Chapter Six: Stay with me?**

**AN: This chapter has mention of suicide. Just so you know.**

/He was looking, searching for someone. Who, he wasn't sure, but he knew he had to find them quickly.

The walkway was dark and cold, and there were at least thirty doors. He didn't know where to start. He touched the last door and the hallway dissolved into nothing. He was inside an empty room, well; it had looked empty, anyway.

It wasn't any more.

He'd found who he had been looking for…too late.

The white-haired boy lay dead on the ground, another one beside him.

The knife still lay beside the dead one.

The living boy picked it up and slashed it across his wrists, several times.

The one who'd found them could only watch as the boy died./ (1)

Ryou sat up with a scream. He remembered that it wasn't true, Bakura was still there. It was only a dream, but he wouldn't be able to sleep now...

He heard his door creak a little. He looked up quickly.

"Bakura?"

"Yeah, it's me…What was it?"

"What was what?"

"I heard you screaming…"

"Oh…" Ryou blinked. He hadn't expected this. "It was a nightmare, that's all…"

"Alright then."

Bakura turned to leave.

"Bakura…can you…stay with me?"

Ryou flushed as Bakura stared at him.

"Um…okay…"

Bakura sat down on the edge of Ryou's bed. Ryou smiled and curled up again.

When Ryou was finally asleep, Bakura was about to stand and go when Ryou's arms wrapped around his waist.

"Ryou, _what_, exactly, are you…oh."

Ryou was still sleeping. Bakura tried to move away from Ryou, but the smaller boy wouldn't let go. Ryou half-turned and somehow pulled Bakura off balance, so that he ended up lying beside Ryou, who was still holding on for dear life.

"Crap." sighed Bakura.

Ryou gave a faint whimper in his sleep, which soon turned into a pitiful cry.

"No! Please…please don't…"

Bakura looked down at Ryou. _What the…?_

Ryou tightened his hold on Bakura to the stage where it got painful.

The spirit shook him awake. "Ryou, wake up!"

Ryou's eyes opened and he stared at Bakura for a minute or so before realizing that he was holding onto Bakura like…like a girlfriend would…

_Oh my God…_

_He'll never let me forget about this…_

Ryou was about to let go, when he realized Bakura was totally off his guard. If he did it now, he would have time to run if necessary.

He leaned in and kissed his yami lightly on the lips.

After a few seconds, Ryou gently moved away from Bakura and waited to see Bakura jerk away, staring in horror and disgust.

Nothing.

A minute.

Nothing.

Five minutes.

Still nothing.

Finally, Ryou ventured, "Bakura?"

Bakura looked at him, like nothing had happened, like Ryou hadn't done anything.

And for some reason, that irritated him.

He wanted Bakura to at least _acknowledge _that something had happened.

So he went ahead and said it.

"Bakura…I think I love you."

"I never would have guessed."

Ryou gave an inner sigh. That was a rejection if he'd ever heard one…

"At least we think alike occasionally."

"_What?_"

He could not believe it.

Bakura gave one of his extremely rare non-evil grins. "Did you not hear me, or do you just not believe me?"

"I didn't think you…"

His darker half shut him up with a kiss.

Ryou smiled against Bakura's lips. _If this is rejection, I could get used to it…_

OWARI

AN: Okay, okay, all you impatient people. I finally got to the kissing; now you can't kill me!

HAHAHA!

Ryou/Bakura: O.O

Wildgirl: WHAT! You can't tell me you didn't like that last chapter! You CAN'T…Well, you could, but then you'd be _lying_ to me. (sticks out tongue) So there!

Ryou: (blush)

Bakura: I…guess…

Shadow: (looks around) What am I doing here? Oh, right. Can anyone say 'childish'? _No one _does the stick-out-tongue thing anymore, Wildgirl.

Wildgirl: They don't? (is confused)

OK, there is a sequel to this, but it's an (ATM) unfinished one-shot where Ryou and Bakura hunt Marik down. Revenge is sweet.

I need to polish the confrontational scenes…I've never been good at those, so it'll take a while.

Please, give me some ideas for the sequel…

I need to know what the people want!

REVIEW!

I just thought I'd mention my pets to you. Meet my six attack bunnies, Amanda, Arnold, Annie, Alisha, Aron and Andrew. They feed on the flesh of non-intentional (i.e. non-parody) Mary Sues. Please help me keep their weight down. I have given away one, please let me know if you would like one too!


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